Going where Sol doesn't shine

After years slumming it in "backward" Australia, former Telstra boss Sol Trujillo is heading home for Wyoming - where the buffalo, and Bigfoot, do roam.

QUITE a week in the world of business.

More spats over the emissions trading scheme, ANZ going cap-in-hand to the market, and federal politicians turning question time into a show-and-tell session by bringing their latest infrastructure posters along to class.

But one story topped it all - the accusation from departed American-born Telstra boss Sol Trujillo that Australia was "backward and racist".

Sol's snipe in a BBC interview provoked a flurry of defensive reactions, and middle Australia jammed talkback switchboards to declare that sombrero jokes are just part of the Australian sense of humour.

While an indignant nation defended accusations of xenophobia, few noted the other half of Sol's claim. Australia was called "backward" - by a bloke from Wyoming.

For those who don't keep an eye on US politics, Wyoming is part of what political scientists call the "Banjo Belt" - that great swathe of Republican-voting US states that begins in the northern Midwest of the mainland and snakes across the country, ending up in a few southern states that haven't exactly been known for racial tolerance over the years.

Sol himself - born, raised and educated in Wyoming - has been a long-time financial supporter of the Republicans over the years.

So, in the interests of breaking down barriers, Top That has dug up five facts about Sol's home state for the nation to digest.

5. Sol graduated from the University of Wyoming, where he would have read the campus newspaperThe Branding Iron. The main park at the University of Wyoming is called Prexy's Pasture, where it is still legal to graze a horse. Not that it happens much these days, as the university's residence hall is now the most densely populated area in the entire state - with 2500 students on 1 1/3 acres of land. No wonder the student parties are such happening shindigs. Indeed, this month's Spring Destresser campus party featured "inflatable fun, chair massages, crafts, plant potting and board games". Rock on.

4. The big annual party in Sol's hometown of Cheyenne is Frontier Days held at the end of July. It "ignites the town like a prairie fire" according to one review. Get along to enjoy the rodeo, something called "chuckwagon races" and free pancake breakfasts.

3. Sol liked to complain about the regulators and the law-makers in this little corner of the world. Of course, we'd all like to enjoy some of the more liberal-minded laws of the Cowboy State. For example, it's illegal to not close a fence in Wyoming, which is subject to a fine of up to $US750. It's also illegal to it is wear a hat that obstructs people's view in a public theatre, cinema or place of amusement. It's illegal to tattoo a horse in Wyoming and, in Sol's hometown of Cheyenne, it was for decades illegal to take a shower on Wednesdays or bath in February.

2. Australia has given the world the electronic pacemaker, the wine cask, the boomerang, the black box flight recorder, the bionic ear, the electric drill and the secret ballot. Not to be outdone, Wyoming has given the world the Dude Ranch, where city slickers pretend to be cowboys for the weekend.

1. Alas, for poor Sol, he's not even the most famous Wyoman. That title is jointly held by former US vice president Dick Cheney and Bigfoot. Sadly, only one of those is fictional. Sadly also, the Wyoming chapter of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organisation has reported that the "Wyoming expedition has been cancelled due to increased risk of grizzly bear interference in the area initially targeted".

After slumming it in Sydney for all these years, Sol will no doubt be happy to get back to cosmopolitan Wyoming.

Please send us a postcard if you're reading, Sol. Sadly, due to the last bloke who ran things down here, the email system is still a bit backwards.

Any other facts you'd like to share about Telstra, Sol or Wyoming? Join in.

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Recent comments

ChangRP

May 29, 2009

09:24 AM

Well done Mark, i could not have said it better myself, like the many good people of Australia, my husband works for Telstra and he has not had a good word to say about Sol since he started with his motley crew. All I can say is good riddance!A very well written piece- witty and clever.

urban identity

May 29, 2009

09:58 AM

As the inscrutable Asians say..."disapearing up his own R Sol!!!".
urban identity...

Dimi

May 29, 2009

10:45 AM

Were Sol to actually look at the job he left from the Australian perspective, one might be inclined to believe that he would see it as being "backward" of what it was before he took over. His scorecard is abysmal, who ever appointed him and his pose of American hotshots was probably the same person that thought the Global Financial Crisis wasn't going to reach Australian shores. Disgraceful

inSolt

May 29, 2009

11:16 AM

Only one question remains. If we knew Sol was that backwards, why on earth did we hire him?

Mark: LOL

Jonathon

May 29, 2009

12:27 PM

The sad thing is we invited him here to run an Ozi company; a man who has no prior knowledge of our market. we then give him $30 Million, he uses his mates which costs much more that it should then as soon as he can he scarpers. I have worked in most international markets and the only thing we lack is confidence. Australians are in general brilliant negotiators and business people, so why the hell was he here in the first place? Take a look Telstra

scott

May 29, 2009

12:27 PM

well said.......

The Yanks just don't understand satire and irony....
did anyone hear the english interviewer, he was almost answering the questions for him and salivating at the same time, knowing he had a bit of a scoop.

Ayjay

May 29, 2009

12:28 PM

I think Sol is dead right, when you examine regulation in Australia and compare that with regulation in the USA there is a huge disparity. Then again, our regulation prevented a sub prime mortgage disaster, our banks did not go broke, our utility bills are a fraction of those in the USA as well; hey Sol, Viva la difference, we won't tolert corporate bandidtos like SOl. As for comparing racism in the US as compared to Australia...pleeeeeze. Having lived in both countries, Australia's intolerance for racism is amongst the best in the world. Sadly our tolerance for empty suits was too much and we put up with this corporate failure for far too many years.

peteai

May 29, 2009

12:47 PM

No wonder he had so much trouble with ASIC. They were so backward - when all they should have said "YES" Sol... That's the trouble with people like Sol they want a level playing field, except they get to make the rules.

I'd also say references to someones background is not always racist - they did not come with the implication that he was bad because he was a Mexican

I know racism when I see it- they were just caricatures - much like the cartoonists do of politicians & famous people

tony

May 29, 2009

01:10 PM

Who?

skalman

May 29, 2009

01:10 PM

Thanks for proving Sol right.

Hmmm. As a Hong Kong-born, Aussie raised Irish-Chinese-English-Scottish-Japanese-Korean ethnic hotchpotch, that call's a bit far-fetched. Especially as I've had dinner with Sol and Phil Burgess and debated the Amigos argument with both.

Not a fan of the Sol Train

May 29, 2009

01:10 PM

Great post Mark.

What a greedy, ungrateful knob. (Sol that is, not you) :)

Mike

May 29, 2009

01:10 PM

Australians aren't racist, especially next to americans, especially those from the Mid West. We are however discrimantory of grandstanding (moderated) with ego's the size of a planet who get paid millions to deliver nothing. I think he got those 2 things confused.

RippinRutman

May 29, 2009

01:12 PM

A very well written article....

A fitting fair well to a man (like most Americans) that knows very little about this great land that we live in.

haploid

May 29, 2009

01:29 PM

Well said, @Urban Identity, your comment really puts the lie to Sol's grievances. Good grief...
I'm afraid there's nothing clever or witty about this article, in fact quite the opposite is true. The most astonishing thing about this incident is how few of us even comprehend the accusations; that to stereotype and belittle someone because of their ethnicity (perceived ethnicity, no less), is racism, plain and simple. Until we can come to terms with this we will continue to be an international laughing stock.
Our esteemed leader may find his racist jokes less of an asset if he get's his coveted seat on the UN Security Council.

Alan

May 29, 2009

01:35 PM

Sol says Australia is racist. But wasn't it Sol who immediately imported Americans when he was hired? I guess Sol just thought we Australians were just too inferior. And, if we are racist, can he explain how he was hired?

And as for backward, I am glad we are not like America - crime, crumbling infrastructure, nepotism, unbridled capitalism exploiting anyone weak or powerless and an outrageous system that has millions trapped in endless poverty with minimal government help while millionaires and billionaires complain about rampant socialism. Let's stay backwards where people are friendly, where people care about each other and "fair go" replaces the American "I'm all right Jack..."

But the bottom line is that after all the millions he was paid, it is now clear that Sol just plain failed. He failed to do a good job. And Australia will suffer from his failure for some time to come. Thanks Sol, if only we were racist we might have been spared your dead hand.

Alan

Rosy at Kempsey

May 29, 2009

01:36 PM

After seeing 4 Corners program on Telstra last year, and its treatment of employees under Sol's stewardship, all I can say is, if that's how they do things in the good old USA, they're welcome to have him back, they deserve each other. I can never understand why we import these COs, have we an inferiority complex? When you actually travel to America, you realise just how backward they really are.

Rosy

May 29, 2009

01:39 PM

This is Racist Country

FreeSpeech

May 29, 2009

01:44 PM

Mark, aren't you comparing apples with oranges? If you compare what Australia has given to the world maybe you ought to compare with what US has given, not Wyoming. Or are you afraid it would one paragraph vs. chapters? In my opinion, many of the so called Wyoming laws you mentioned above would make for a much more pleasant life in Australia if adopted here. Wyoming is a beautiful progressive state with many celebrities owning properties there. I'm sure they wouldn't think of using water cannons to disperse public protests like did in Sydney.

Right on

May 29, 2009

02:13 PM

Apparently the meaning of the name Sol is "sun". I presume Sol thinks that the reason we have had so much rain since he left is because he is not here to bend over and let the sunshine!

Bruce

May 29, 2009

02:19 PM

Seems everyone is jumping on the bandwagon of Sol bashing this week. His statements were pretty correct regardless and the fact that people cannot see this is more worrying. During his tenure at Telstra, Sol was in a poistion where every move he made was closely watched by regulatory arms of the government. The share price drop over this period can be pretty much related to the fact that government minimised their capacity to increase profits for the shareholder. Yes Telstra owns the network, but reducing the competetiveness of the company is illogical and against the nature of business. Name another sector where this happens? With the external nightmare which was the governemt Sol has transformed Telstra into a world leader in its field. People of Australia should applaud his foresight and take note of his comments. There is a lot of substance in them.

earthakitt

May 29, 2009

02:24 PM

Well said Mark. I'd like to add to PM Rudd's farewell greeting - a big "Gracias por nada, Sol".

PrairieDog

May 29, 2009

02:24 PM

Yes Mark, a very comprehensive and humorous article indeed. I guess that if there was one good legacy (though very expensive to the user) is the Next G network. Not sure how much Sol had to do with its implimentation; but a great wireless network none the less. Talking of expensive, four years at a cost of 35 million AUD comes to mind; now who was that again...............

Ah Sol !!!

ZT

May 29, 2009

02:35 PM

As an American living in Australia, I was embarrassed by his comments. Sure the internet's a little slow down here (and what's with the download caps?!), but whose fault is that? Oh wait...wouldn't that be Telstra and the 1960's infrastructure it runs on/still supports? As for racsim...everyone has a past we're not proud of, but for the most part we're all trying to make amends for it and things aren't what they were 50, hell even 10 years ago. It's people like him that make me glad I'm not living back there anymore. Go back to Wyoming and hang out with your other rich (by stealing) mate Cheney.

Lito

May 29, 2009

02:49 PM

SOL is a LOSer !! (spell backward)

Mark: You have way to much time on your hands, but very clever

PrairieDog

May 29, 2009

03:07 PM

Bruce, to answer your question. The government dictates to all, and to name one example (the internet). Yes quite a network huh? I think we are all fairly aware (including boat people) that Australia is geographically remote & the continent is sparse, but to inflate the cost of any tangible product by any business in an effort to only please investors is not sustainable practise. I agree, his hands may have been tied by the regulators to a degree; however this was the fork in the road where his business ethics came floating to the surface like raw sewage for all to see. Comprende?

BeenThereDoneThat

May 29, 2009

03:23 PM

Australians can be racist, thats not the same as saying Australia is racist. Australia can be backward in some areas, sometimes thats a good thing (sometimes not). Sol Trujillo was sadly fairly typical of the US CEO culture of entitlement and blame and many of Australia's CEOs seem to fit that bill too. It all has the whiff of a spoilt child who didn't get everything all his own way...

Sam

May 29, 2009

03:30 PM

Terrible article. You do realise you were making direct comparisons between a nation and a state right?

Hey Sol did you know it was once illegal to have a shower on Wednesday's where you are from? Suck on it.

I hate people quoting ridiculous antiquated laws that are left there residually, its even worse when you dress it up as a news piece. Shame.

Mark says: It's a blog. Chill

Mark

May 29, 2009

03:50 PM

His Racism comment was extreme, and his 'Australia is like stepping back in time was rude', especially since he made good $ while he was here. What Sol couldn't handle was Aussie criticism. I kind of wish it wasn't such a fact of life, but since it is part of the culture, be ready for it, don't let it get to you, maybe let it motivate you. Don't know the details of everything everyone hated about him. Enough said.

winegrower

May 29, 2009

03:51 PM

As an ex customer of Telstra i can say that my experience of this compny deteriorated over the 5 years I was with it and this coincided with Trujillo's tenure.The question still begs answering, who appointed him on such terms and have they been held accountable. As for Australia not being rascist, what was the White Australia Policy?

Mark says: Good points made. Having lived and worked overseas I was more concerned with Australia being tagged 'backward'.

The Frog

May 29, 2009

03:54 PM

Mark,
As funny as your article tries to be it does not address Sol's complaints. Wyoming may be backward but that does not mean Oz is not racist. Some Aussies are racist. Otherwise, who is bashing the poor Indians in Victoria? Americans maybe? Looking down on Wyoming is not much different to racists looking down on others. Or is that your point? Racism is OK if you are a white Aussie.

Mark says: Hmmm. check out my photo. I'm hardly a white Aussie. I was writing about Australia being 'backward'.

Sutton

May 29, 2009

03:59 PM

I knew Sol and I found him to be a typical know-all , bigheaded American , full of bluff and bluster.
He had little knowledge of the industry he was part of from the grass-roots level where everything actually happens ( I feel sad for fellow ex-telstra technicians who left were actually good) and like his predecessor the hated Ziggy -stardusted-to-hell were over paid and underworked.
I am glad he is gone and as they say (so true).... NEVER trust a man with a mo...... especially one as bad as his.....
I think we should only ever employ CEO's that know what they are talking about, done the hard yards on the shop floor and not done some stupid hopeless MBA and walk into a job just on that merit.

Mark says: The 'no mo' rule should be enshrined in a bill of rights

pid

May 29, 2009

04:03 PM

No matter what you think of the man's failings, he did have a magician's touch. After all, before Sol arrived who would have thought that any mere mortal could do the impossible, namely to make all Australians despise Telstra more than they already did. Pure genius!

Mark says: That's gold

Iced-VoVo fan

May 29, 2009

04:08 PM

Sol Trujillo is sexy.

MattinHK

May 29, 2009

04:13 PM

Dont let the screen door hit you in the arse on the way out Sol.

Jonny Boy Gill

May 29, 2009

04:19 PM

I am still scratching my head and wondering how on earth saying "adios" can be perceved a racist.

The pure fact of the matter is that Rudd was asked by a journo what he would like to say to Sol on his departure and he said one word, the spanish word for Goodbye, which is an accepted and recognised word within the Englich langusage, (much as 'Bon Apetite' is prior to eating food).

If Sol believes that Rudd was pointing out his Mexican background and implying that he was inferior because of it, from one word uttered, then surely Rudd can equally claim that he was showing the man elevated levels of respect for his culture by spending time investing in learning Sols native tongue. Both are equally outlandish claims.

Personally I think Rudds comment was flippant and designed to stick two fingers up at a departing failed head of Telstra, and to point out that he had done a bad job, had waged open war on the government, the regualators and civil servants, and that he was happy (like most Aussies and Telstra shareholders) to see the back of him. Rudd won, Sol lost.

A childish comment? yep
A smug one liner ? absolutly
Racist ? Only if you are a deluded fool
Saying what most businesses felt ? Tick

incon'SOL'able

May 29, 2009

04:22 PM

I *thought* Sol's comments were based around the fact that he couldn't sort out a tax dodge that would have allowed him to stay in Australia and earn the bulk of his salary tax free??

He came here thinking that simply because he was an American then he would be revered for his "skills". That wasn't enough. Australians are more savvy than that - you need to prove your worth here, especially when you're heading up one of the most well known companies in the country.

He didn't and he's out. And boy is he bitter about it. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Sol.

A Bloke

May 29, 2009

04:57 PM

Bravo (I'm sorry - you're not Italian, are you?)!

Sidi Bou

May 29, 2009

05:08 PM

Of course Sol is entitled to say Australians are racist if he wants.However it is strange that Sol and his three amigos always referred to their Australian staff as 'islanders'....

Don, Coffs Harbour

May 29, 2009

05:13 PM

Like most egomaniacal morons, Sol is a legend in his own mind...

Jim

May 29, 2009

05:52 PM

Sol is looking a bit backwards himself.

Unbridled deregulation hasn't been in fashion for at least a year, but he's probably been too busy booking flights and working out where one can put $30 million safely these days to read the zeitgeist.

And for someone in such a position of power and privelege to be whining about a few sombrero cartoons is a bit undignified.

None of this is to say that Australia is not racist, though. In many pockets it is. It's just poor Sol's plight is not an important example of this.

Jeeves

May 29, 2009

06:03 PM

And don't forget how "doing business in Australia is like going back in time" (or words to that effect). This from Sol and the country that brought the world "sub prime" lending, "toxic debt" and (arguably) the global financial crisis therewith. Give me the good ol' days.

Jacqui

May 30, 2009

03:26 AM

I am honestly ashamed of my country after reading this and all the the other tripe that has been written since a man positoned strongly as an "outsider" was brave enough to remind us that we are a racist nation. America has many faults that Australia delights in pointing out, but stupid editorials that are pretending to be ironic, but are actually mean, show us to be what Sol Trujillo suggests we are, narrow minded and racist.

How about we acknowledge what he says and work on actively changing the current conditions. Then we might be able to write editorials that are ironic and show us as open minded and evolved enough to address the racism that does exist in Australia.

Spleep

May 30, 2009

06:58 AM

Sol's right. We are a backward people. After reading his performance resume from US-West and Graviton, we still hired him. Doh.

georgebech

May 30, 2009

06:48 PM

Hold your anger, folks. The guy was talking about Australia. Mark Hawthorne and most of the comments change the subject and hold him responsible for his hometown and country. It just shows our intolerance with criticism and sadly proves he is right.

Lisa W

May 31, 2009

04:23 AM

What did we expect - the man thought George W Bush was a great president too. Sorry Sol... maybe you can reminisce about the good old days with George in your ten gallon hats.
Oh, how lovely to sit and watch you both just fade off into the sunset.

yirrp

May 31, 2009

09:18 AM

What is all the fuss about. Trujillo's comment of Australia not being like the USA was a compliment.

His corporate track record in the States was never one of being an outstanding success. The capitalist vision of completely breaking down the publicly owned Telstra to be stripped of market influence always was a priority of the big end of town. A job well done, true to form, his lad has made it so much easier to pick over the remaining flesh on the old Telstra bones.

poor soul

May 31, 2009

11:53 AM

How can we be racist we gave Sol a job?
Backward! yair well we gave Sol a job.

Joe Wolf

May 31, 2009

01:54 PM

I am a very proud Australian native from Mexico and have lived in this country for close to 27 years. Thank God I am Australian after all as all my people embraced me since my very first day. Reading what Trujillo has said recently labeling Australians as racist is the biggest proof of his own bitterness and failure as the only backward place on earth is Telstra since he took its reigns. Good Bye Sol and never come back.

Sjoerd

May 31, 2009

02:55 PM

To Sol's defense, there is a lot of truth in what he said. There is definitely a lot of xenophobia going on in this country, especially by some local Australians that have never made it out of their own suburb. And what in most European countries are no longer considered socially acceptable 'racist' comments, are still very common here, even by well traveled local Australians. More fuel on the fire :-)

Jim O'G

May 31, 2009

09:38 PM

Very nicely done Mark. But you failed to mentioned one thing. Did any of us "backward" Australians manage to show Sol how to use a "cellphone" while he was here. Then again, Wyoming probably doesn't have any mobile coverage if your article is anything to go by. I might even print this article off and post it to him, as he probably doesn't have email there either. Keep it up Mate. Sorry! Pardner.

orientalspice

May 31, 2009

10:34 PM

Mark, love it! Poor Sol, being the victim of blatent racism. One simply cannot comprehend how something like this could happen: give a foreigner (emphasis on FOREIGNER) THE top job at the most recognisable Australian corporation, pay him a meagre wage of only a few million and then have the audacity to expect performance of sorts. Dude, that's just so un-Australian. I say, Hey! It could have been worse - we could have put up big fences like the Americans did to keep the Mexicans out.

Paul

June 01, 2009

08:31 AM

Having grown up a few km. from the Wyoming border, I laughed myself silly at this piece. Thanks!

Sol felt deprived that he was not getting the same compensation as his genius peers at Citibank, GM, Lehmann Bros., etc. Had he been given all the freedom he asked for Telstra would now be joining the ranks of those companies. Please note that the upper management of those bankrupt companies are still personally wealthier than Trujillo today. Trujillo's sense of deprivation is personal for not having the same supersized fortune, not any sense of loss at the potential that Telstra could have achieved in serving Australia. Australia does not need that kind of Yankee expertise; it's the US that needs the expertise of lesser-paid foreign corporate management.

iphoneanth

June 01, 2009

10:31 AM

Look to the future who will replace him and will Telstra come to the table to deliver a world class internet for all Australians. It doesn't really matter now he left I feel sad for all the mum & dad investors who invested in Telstra. Telstra needs to realise the Govt is going to build a separate internet infrastucture they need to put in place a executive team who work with the goals of the govt and community. In the main most Australians are very tolerant and open to other cultures, it is a cheap shot to label Australia as racist as a whole. Sol could of been remember for so much more but all he will be remembered for was insulting a fair mind country and failing to deliver fast internet access for the 21st century for all Australians. It be nice if his $30 million payout was in Telstra shares.

Paulie

June 01, 2009

10:32 AM

If Sol was so off the mark about the backward and racism in austraila. Why is everyone getting worked up about it. If Australia isn't any of these thing would you not just laugh it off or turn the other cheek?

P Goh, Silkwood, Queensland

June 01, 2009

11:02 AM

I think we should not be too quick to pass judgement on Mr Trujillo's "racist" comments. Although I was irked by them like almost everyone else, I was also alluded to articles appearing at the same time in our mass media about Indian students being bashed here. Perhaps we should just take time to quietly examine ourselves and our behaviour first lest we expose ourselves as hypocrites.

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Mark Hawthorne writes the daily Full Disclosure column for BusinessDay. When he's not harassing Australia’s leading business figures, Mark ponders lists of five offbeat issues facing the financial world.